Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival
Stradbally Hall, Co.Laois
Friday 29th August
ATL returns to Electric Picnic, the Co. Laois festival that rounds off the summer of outdoor-live music in Ireland.
It's Friday and the weather en route to Stradbally is questionable, at best. There's beautiful countryside out there, somewhere through the rain. As we get closer to the festival though things start to improve.
The sky above the main stage is almost completely blue as Blondie take to the stage. The sun is out, yes! As the tempo of 'One Way or Another' increases so too does the movement of people towards the stage. It's followed soon by 'Hanging on the Telephone'. There are some songs you hear so often, that are part of your musical map, that it's maybe easy to forget just how great they are. Blondie are true music legends and as they rattle into 'Call Me' it feels good to be seeing them here at Electric Picnic.
Making our way to the 'Other Voices' tent for Silences we find ourselves in a woodland middle ground, between the main festival site and the camp site. Essentially a TV set, the Other Voices trademark coloured hearts surround Silences, which is apt for a band armed with songs delicate and powerful in equal measures. New single 'Sister Snow' is notably curious, happily channelling dEUS's Tom Barman and Craig Ward. 'Chase Me Home' is with biting lyrics, the subtle darkness a theme throughout a hugely engaging set.
Cursing festival clashes as we squeeze in as much as we can, ATL heads back to the main arena as Foals take to the stage. 'Miami' packs a punch and is an early highlight. 'Olympic Airways' is another stand out, as the band get warmed up, making the most of what we're told is the last show in Ireland for some time. 'My Number' is, inevitably, greeted with huge appreciation from what feels like the biggest crowd of the weekend so far. As others dance, however, ATL is wondering - doesn't Yannis Philippakis bear a passing resemblance to A Plastic Rose' Ian McHugh?
It's onwards to catch Dublin's Girl Band, following the noise to Body & Soul. There's a lovely irony to their name, that some people who are searching for sugar-sweet, care-free pop will stumble across this. In reality it's fierce, intense. 'The Cha Cha Cha' lasts all of about 20 seconds. It reminds us of a very angry Brakes. The version of Blawans 'Why They Hide Their Bodies...' starts with squealing electronic digital distortion before settling down...slightly, into an almost disco beat. This is 'no disco' though - more the guitar equivalent of dark techno, with lyrics to match in a set which constantly goes up a level. Everynow and again there's a crack or bang that has somehow raised it's voice above the general, awesome noise. Then it happens again and you realise it's intentional. It's not clumsy or accidental, just powerful.
Meanwhile, Soak is starting back at Other Voices. A popular addition, we've to squeeze our way to the other side of the room in order to see Bridie clearly through the crowd. She explains how new song 'Reckless Behaviour' has a catchy chorus and she's right, it does. Furthermore it's another beautiful, hook-filled track in her growing catalogue of.... beautiful, hook filled tracks. The vibe in the audience and on stage is warm and positive - to the point Bridie claims it might be her favourite show to date. 'Blud' leads the way with 'Shovels', 'Be a Nobody' and 'Sea Creatures' before the end too. A treat.
